Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-04
THE FUNERAL KNELL.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF
CHARLEY"


not 10 KNOW liOuQuefNAics tuOukh Az 10
neither pretticr nor cleaner than the
other villages Of Normandy, is TO con-
fess yourself not of Calvados On
either side Of the only laid-out street,
il laid out you can term il, stand the
flat wooden houses, covered with white
wash that dries and peels in scales the
little yards, badly kept, which surround
them, separated by palings and filled
with climbing roses that turn 10 the
sun their yellow petals and fraternize
with the cabbages and the lettuce, and
at the back, in smoking heaps. piles of
manure upon which the chickens boldly
pick and cackle.
But the glory of Plouquerville is its
church--an authentic church of the
twelfth century, .clatsed as an historic
monument-which yearly brings
crowd OF the learned and the curious
10 visit II, in spite Of the eight kilo-
metres OF bad road which binds
this corner of Normandy to the
rest of the world. Picture TO your
self church in the form of cross,
built of the grayish granite found
in certain parts OF the country and
upon which time has no effect; the
principal entrance surrounded by a
niche containing ST. Martin on horse
back, well sculptured, indeed : here
and there narrow openings and spaces,
in which the glasses, badly damaged
and as badly repaired, were protected
Ivy ancient gratings presenting Fe'tr-
dc-liS upon the head of each bar; the
interior Of Tie building Of semi-circular
arches supported by squatty pillars
springing from the wall and crowned
with chaplets Of a variety of astonishing
conceptions.
Strange to say this old edifice wasnot
as usual in the heart of the village, but
isolated from it and from the nearest
dwelling some three hundred metres,
more or less, its sOmbre mass elevating
itself in the middle of q grassy plain
without tree or shrub and upon which,
from time to time, browsed a solitary
and M agre COW. Another popularity
of this strange old edifice was the fact
that the steeple or belfry of the church
was entirely detached from it, pc
culiarity frequently to be found in
the churches of Italy 49, for in
stance. the Campanile of the
Cathedral OF Florence. But apart
from this aud its form, equally square,
the resemblance of oar steeple to the
chef d'0HUrc Of GiottO was not strong
II presented upon its four faces three
tiers of semiclrcular arches coupled
two by two, the windows in the middle
Of it marked by M enormous dial
plate. whose mOtiOnless hands had
long ceased to measure the march
of time. The works, all rusted aud
wornout with age, necessitated such
frequent visits from the clock-maker OF
the neighboring city that a council of
vestrymen decided it improper and too
expensive. and from that time on the
springs unrolled at their ease and the
Dust accumulated softly in the old ma
chine, condemned TO dumbness and to
rest
A little further along, say twenty
steps, looking up IN the air, YOU would
perceive across the highest opening
three bells, the largest of which was
gift of the last century, as witness the
inscription, which ran in relief about
its bronzed sides "a gift from the Sire
Of Plouquerville. Lord Of Belmont and
Fduerrv 10 the King. and his noble and
loportd spouse, issue of the CracOu-
villes. one, rs everybody knows, OF the
best and Oldest families of VeXin. As
for the other two bells, when all were
i'm good order, they sounded the hour
as marked hv the hands of the clock,
and. installed 10y the side of the first
bell, not only presented a fine appear
snce. but accorded with it we'll in a
pleasing chime. II Won desired to see
II en- nearer You would enter little
door placed in the side which looked to
tie church. and ascend 10y wooden
staircase with Ticketv steps and badly
adjusted hand-rail, winding and twist
j, 9 as it followed the contour OF the
VAL. Hallway up You found your
self IN front OF a door that led to the
chsmher Of the clock, the floor and
ceiling OF this room pierced by round
hole. through which ran the roCes for
T. E bells above II, behIud a door u
TIE RIGHT, the bell itself and her two
supporting acolytes above that AGAIN,
two strides further 4loug. the platform
of tie steeple and view 10y 10 means
10 be disdained.
To the south and east the eyes en-
blaced an ocean OF verdure, success
sion of orchards striped from place to
place with a twisting line of roadway,
with here and there roof crowned
with tuft Of smoke, and in the dis
lance the belfry Of the neighboring
village.
But if you turned to the north or to
the setting sun band of gray bordered
with a ribbon of foam ; aud If the
wind blew from that direction a strong
odor of salt impregnating the air. 1t
was the sea, five kilometres away, and
in times Of storm the roar OF Its sulien
voice came TO Plouquerville, brought
by the wind. Blu, that which attracted
the eve Of the visitor SIS soon as he put
his foot on top Of the belfry was not so
much the sea or the landscape as an
object much nearer at hand and that
Won would not expect to encounter ia a
similar place. In the corner OF the
platform. close against the balus-
trade, an enormous apple-tree rose
in the air, spreading to the
space below its gnarled and twisted
brspches. Thrusting itself from the
ipterstices OF two slabs, which its
efforts bad little by little entirely dis
ioipted. il extended beneath the stones
its thousands of Wondering roots,
sustained in place of earth by the dust
slowly accumulated by the wind and
hardened by the hammering OF the
rain. The people of the neighbor.
bocd-g great experts IN the matter OF
apple. trees-estimated its age at not
les than two hundred years; but old
as il was, and black with moss and
lumps of glue hanging from ITS
brnnch,s, 1t produced, good year or
Ind wear. It's two or three dozen apples
that TO one in the village was allowed
70 touch, with the exception OF Master
lloQuet. AZ the time sexton and bell.
ringer rs well. These, supplemented
Ly the harvest fIom his own little en-
closure, gave to bis cider, so every one
said, an aroma and flavor truly excep-
tiohal.
Fe was brave man. this Cioquet, al
excellent man, for the matter OF that
Hbe.otian htt yauttnO mr.